Chapter Text
There was a reason that children of the Big three made people in the modern times nervous, Chiron thought as he watched the kids lounge around in the Big House. Back in the age of heroes, even mortals without godly ichor running through them could accomplish great feats. But now, this group of children under 13 had the power to destroy towns and when they grow into their own, cities. And if things turn out really, really bad, they could mess up entire continents.
But that'll take a while, Chiron thought as he watched little Hazel, their exchange camper from Camp Jupiter, try to put rainbow stickers on Percy's face. She's having a hard time because Percy kept moving around to try and catch the popcorns that Thalia was throwing at him. Bianca was IM-ing Nico, who was in California, and he's tripping verbally over his excitement at meeting at the other big three child there.
"Jay is so cool! He can fly! He's like Superman!" His chubby 9 year old cheeks glowed in the misty spray. Nico pulled a preteen into view, "Jay, do the thing! Do the thing!"
The kid, Jason, as Chiron knew him by, grinned and held out a finger. Electricity crackled at the tip of his index finger. "Don't get too close like you did last time, Nico."
Jason wasn't complaining about this exchange program, at all. He'd been disappointed when Hazel was chosen to go instead of him, but then Nico came and immediately started following him around like a puppy. And it was nice having someone treat him like a teddy bear instead of, well, instead of the exact opposite. Nico wouldn't know the word respect if someone had spelled it out for him (no, literally, the kid has a really hard time reading and spelling).
Jason concentrated so that the crackle of electricity on his finger started to turn into different colors. Nico screeched in delight.
"We have to keep them friendly with each other, united," Hera had commanded Chiron. "To make that happen..."
"So that's why you will all be flying over to Greece to attend a personalized program just for the Big Three kids, designed to unite you into a cohesive unit."
"Why fly?" Bianca complained. "None of us like planes!"
Percy nodded and pointed to himself. "This guy likes staying on the ground, and the death kids like to stay under the ground, no offense."
Bianca slapped his shoulder. "Offense taken!"
Chiron sighed, "A plane will be the fastest way to get to Greece."
"I can take turns shadowtravelling with Mrs O Leary," Bianca said, definitely overestimating her own abilities. "We'll be able to make it to Greece faster than a plane."
"Maybe we don't care about speed," Percy said. "Maybe we care about comfort and we commandeer a ship and I can get us across the Atlantic in 5 days."
"Bianca, it's not so simple, and Percy, we don't have a ship for you," Chiron said. "When Hestia and Hera envisioned this summer program, it was to keep peace between their three brothers and their children. Everything is symbolic of the bonds of family and the Olympic court between the six of you. Some people are more prideful than others, and would prefer that all of you travel through his domain in order to reach the new summer enrichment program."
"Friendship camp," Hazel said. "You're making us go halfway across the world for friendship camp because they want us to get along. Isn't that why I'm here and Nico's visiting California?"
"And Zeus," Nico started to say before thunder rolled ahead from where Nico was, and he grabbed onto Jason's arms for safety. "I mean, some people insist that we go to this camp on a plane because he says so? Also Bianca!! I have so much to tell you about the Roman camp-"
"That's great, Nico, you can tell me all about it later!" She cut him off before he could go on another ramble.
Thalia gave a frustrated grunt, "Look, I'm not jazzed to be on a plane either."
"That makes Jason the only one out of all of us who's going to be happy about this," Bianca said. Everyone looked at Jason, who looked even more embarrassed.
"Bianca, I don't want to fly," Nico pouted. "I'll puke all over you."
Jason rubbed his shoulders. "I'll carry puke bags for you."
"Jason's the designated flight attendant," Thalia decided. "He'll attend to our every needs. He'll be the one getting the lifejackets and water and snacks!"
Hazel looked on with awe as she watched the rest of the Greek kids make fun of Jason, and as Jason just grinned happily through it all.
Two days later, a private chartered plane picked up Jason and Nico from California and flew over to Long Island.
....................................................................
The plane landed in a makeshift airfield near Camp Halfblood, where Hazel, Bianca, Percy, and Thalia were waiting with their suitcases in tow.
Percy thought he'd see Jason and Nico step out of the plane for a quick leg stretch, but neither of them came down the steps.
The four of the handed off their suitcases to be stowed in a separate compartment on the ship before making their way inside.
Ah, that was why they didn't see Jason or Nico.
Jason had taken up residence on the biggest couch on the plane. Nico was nowhere to be seen, until you realize that he must be the small quivering mass underneath a blanket that was on Jason's lap (or maybe sitting between his legs? Percy wasn't sure, he was covered by a blanket).
"Shhh," Jason gestured, and mouthed, "he finally fell asleep!"
The mass moved a little under the blanket, and Jason immediately started gently petting it while shushing it. "Shh, shh, it's going to be okay. We're all good, I got you."
Bianca gaped at the sight. "I-What have you done to my brother?"
Jason shrugged. "Nico? He was really nervous so I put a blanket over him."
"This is the first time I've seen Nico so quiet and still," Percy whispered back. "Are you Mary Poppins?"
"This is just like how we put a hood on horses so they don't get jumpy," Hazel said. "Wow, Jason's like an animal handler."
"Makes sense because Nico's like an animal. You haven't seen the way he tears into my mom's cookies."
The plane moved smoothly, but Jason noticed the nervous expressions on the other kids' faces. Thalia sat next to him and tried to put him in a headlock, but Jason just whipped out a hand and said "Shhhhh, he's resting!"
It was too late, and Nico had popped his head out of the blankets already. The plane hadn't taken off yet, but it was heading down the runway already.
Nico clambered off of Jason, taking the blanket with him, and scrambled to where Hazel and Bianca were sitting. He gave a hello wave to Percy and Thalia before jumping on his sisters and covered them all with the blanket.
"This way, we can pretend this isn't happening." The other kids heard him say from under the blanket.
The plane jolted as it took off, and someone, definitely not Percy, screamed in nervousness. He inched towards the pile of Underworld kids in the blanket.
"Uh. Is there room?"
Hazel peeked out. "No, sorry. But you can cuddle with Jason and Thalia?"
Percy looked over at the Graces, and Thalia had already started to cling to her little brother like a teddy bear. The plane jolted again.
He ran over to the Graces, and just like Nico had done, jumped on them.
"PERCY GET OFF-"
"I DON'T CARE I DON'T LIKE THIS-"
"Maybe we should hood you guys too-"
"HOLD ME TIGHT AND SAVE ME-"
Nico laughed as he grabbed onto Bianca and Hazel under the blanket. Their ears popped, and Hazel took out some gum for them to chew on. Pomegranate, his favorite flavor. Planes were terrible, awful, no good contraptions. But he'd take it if it meant spending more time with his favorite people in the world.
"PERCY I SWEAR TO GODS-"